Giving Compass' Take:

• Alejandra Méndez explains how her work to bring individual empowerment to women in Mexico changes their lives and communities. 

• How can funders help to support community efforts like this? What are the consequences of gender power imbalances? 

• Learn how donors can make an impact for gender equality. 

This interview is with Centro Fray Julián de Garcés Derechos Humanos y Desarrollo Local (The Fray Julián de Garcés Center for Human Rights and Local Development, or Fray Julián), an organization that promotes human rights and gender equality in Tlaxcala. I spoke with Alejandra Méndez, Fray Julián’s Director.

What’s your organization’s elevator pitch?

Alejandra: We work on community empowerment in Tlaxcala to deal with two issues: the trafficking of women and girls and illnesses caused by the pollution caused by industrialization. The core of our work is organizing the community to strengthen their collective power on human rights and gender issues. We also have various strategic initiatives, including working with universities that document trafficking and illness; creating public awareness campaigns through videos, workshops, and national and international presentations; and doing political analysis and advocacy to press the government to take responsibility for protecting human rights.

Read the full interview with Alejandra Méndez about individual empowerment by Katherine Mancera at Hispanics in Philanthropy.